New York City

Published March 2, 2018

The Sweat Scoop: February 2018

Now that February has come and gone and you’ve settled into your routine after the New Year, it’s time to take a look back and review the top fitness stories of the month. From press hits to Olympics news, our roundup will catch you up to speed.

1. One pair of Olympians just made ice skating cool. France’s Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres competed together in this year’s free skating event, and the Internet understandably had a moment when the duo performed their routine to a heavy metal version of Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “Sound of Silence.”Healthbreaks down the details.

2. In case you haven’t heard, NYC fitness fanatics love Fhitting Room classes.Guest of a Guestsums up their favorite reasons to get sweaty at Fhitting Room. Check out the list, thenbook a classto experience the best HIIT workout in NYC.

3. You might have a shot to workout with The Rock. According toMen’s Health, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is set to host a new fitness competition show on NBC,The Titan Games. To compete for a shot at glory (and a chance to hang out with The Rock), interested participants are required to submit a three-minute long video audition explaining why they deserve to be on the show, along with a shortfitness testto prove they can keep up.

4. The North Face just launched a line of butt-sculpting leggings. The new “vision science” line uses tricks of the eye to convince onlookers that you have a toned legs and glutes. There’s no new technology at work with this line, per se, but each pair uses unique gradient shading, meant to “sculpt” and “shape” your behind. It’s like contouring… but for your butt.Women’s Healthhas all the details. .

5. A new study shows that exercise could help improve your memory. According toThe New York Times, regular exercise can counteract the effects of memory loss by strengthening communication between brain cells. So, the next time you leave the house feeling like you’ve forgotten something, you might want to reach for your running shoes.

6. Chocolate yoga is now a thing. UK-based yoga instructorGuzel Mursalimovapartnered with chocolate company Love Cocoa to develop a 90-minute class that pairs meditation and restorative yoga with organic, vegan chocolate. Because what’s better than finishing your downward dog with a sweet snack? Learn more atWell + Good.

7. Shapefeatured Fhitting Room trainer Lacee Lazoff doing what she loves most: working with kettlebells! Check out her video to learn how to do the perfect Turkish Get-Up. According to Lazoff, "The Turkish Get-Up is the ultimate move to build strength, stability, and test flexibility across the entire body," so why not learn how to do it from the kettlebell queen?

8. This flu season seems longer than most. Lucky for us,Greatistbroke down which alternative cold and flu remedies actually work. We’re no doctors, but it seems like they’ve done their research.

9. A glass of wine a day keeps the dentist away. We already know red wine can help keep your heart healthy. Exciting new research shows that everybody’s favorite grape juice can also improve your oral hygiene. According toMindbodygreen, the latest issue of the Journal of Agriculture & Food Chemistry reported that the polyphenols in wine can help fight plaque, gum disease, and cavities.

10. Though filled withdoping dramaandentertaining tweets, this year’s Olympic games received the lowest ratings of all time, according toVariety. Primetime coverage of the games saw 19.8 million viewers a night. This is down approximately 7% from the previous record holder, the 2014 Sochi Olympics.